Crossing for electric conductors



(No Model.)

v H. A. SEYMOUR. CROSSING FUR ELECTRIC GONDUCTORS. No, 423,495. PatentedMar. 18, 1890'.

UNITED STATES:

HENRY A. SEYMOUR, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR PATENTOFFICE.

TO THE SHORT ELECTRIC RAILWAY COMPANY, OF- OLEVELAND, OHIO.

' oRo-s sme 'FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTOVRS.

SPEClFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,495, dated March18, 1890. Application filed January 31, 1890. Serial No. 338,734- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY A. SEYMOUR, a

citizen of Washington, in the District of lumbia, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Crossings for Electric Conductors; and Ido hereby declare the following to be full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others tion that the separatetrolley-lines shall be firmly secured in place and be insulated one fromthe other and the trolley allowed to pass overthe crossing without beingdiverted from its line of travel.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter setforth, and pointed out in the-claimsl In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1,lS an elevation of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a view on the linea: a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a View on the line y y of Fig. 2.. Fig. 4 isa view of a modification. Fig. 5 is a view on the line a: m of Fig. 4.

A and 13 represent the trolley-wires of two electric railroads whichcrosseach other at any desired angle. The lower wire A is secured to theupper curved edge'ofa plate O.

This plate is made of earthenware, wood, metal, or other suitablematerial having a straight lower edge and a curvedtop edge,

- the latter being made with a groove 12 for the receptionof theline-conductor A, which conductor is retained to its seat in the grooveby means of straps c, of any suitable material, secured at theirrespective ends to the opposing faces of the plate A by means of rivetsc, or in any other suitable manner.

By this construction it will be seen that that portion of the plate 0along which the trolley passes is in the same horizontal plane with theconductor, and said conductor remains continuous, thus avoiding thenecessity of the trolley moving out of its original horizontal plane..At its center the plate 0 is made with a recess d, which extends fromthe lower edge of the plate to a point about two-thirds way through thevertical axis thereof,.as shown in Fig. 1. A plate D, of earthenware,wood, metal, or other suitable material, is located in the recess cl andsecured at its center to the plate 0, its ends project ing at rightangles from the opposing faces of the plate 0, the lower edge of theplate D being in a plane above the plane of the. lower edge of plate 0.Should the plates 0 D be made of earthen-Ware or other non-conductingmaterial, they may be molded together or integral with each other; butwhen metal is employed for making these plates they must of course bemade separate and insulated from each other in any suitable manner. Atthe point where the plate D joins the plate 0 the former is made thickerthan at its-lower or free edge, in order to secure a strong and rigidconnection of these plates. The ends of the plate D are upwardly turnedto produce toes e, so-that if the two plates 0 D should become detachedthe plate 0 will be caught by one of the toes e, and the conductors A Bthus prevented from becoming crossed. The lower straight edge of theplate D is provided with a groove g, which extends from end to endthereof, and at its center the plate is made with a recess h. Theline-conductor B is inserted in the groove 9, and atthe center of thestraight edge of said plate the conductor is bent into and made toneatly fill the recess h. A flat plate E, of metal or other suitablefied form of my invention, in which form a cross-arm F is substitutedfor the plate D. The plate 0 is provided at its center with enlargementsonits opposing faces, which together produce a boss G. This boss is madewith a screw-threaded socket z' for the reception of asimilarly-threaded shank j, projecting at right angles from the centerof the cross-arm F, as shown in Fig. 5. The shank j having, been screwedinto the socket t, the arm F will project at right angles to the facesof the plate 0, and its lower edge will be in a horizontal plane abovethat of the lower edge of plate 0. The'llne-wire A will be secured tothe plate 0, as above described, and the line-wire B may be secured tothe cross-arm F by means of metallic ribbon k, or in any other suitablemanner. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is I 1. In an electric-railroad system, thecombination, with two or more-conductors, of insulated plates, eachplate having a conductor secured thereto, said plates being supported atan angle to each other and in different horizontal planes, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In an electric-railroad system, the combination, with two conductors,of two insulated plates, one of said plates having a curved upper edge,to whioha conductor is secured, and a straight lower edge, along whichthe trolley is adapted to pass, and the other plate having a straightlower edge, to which another conductor is secured, substantially Setforth. 7

3. In an electricrrailroad' system, the combination, with two continuousconductors, which cross, of an insulated plate secured to eachconductor, each plate having a straight lower edge, and one of saidplates having a thickened upper edge where it joins the other plate,substantially as set'forth.

4. In an electric-railroad system, the combination, with two continuousconductors which cross, of an insulated plate secured to each conductor,one plate being carried by the other, and each having a straight loweredge, and toes at the ends of one plate, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. A supporting device for electric conductors at crossings, consistingof an elongated plate or support having straight or practically straightlower faces for'the engagement of the trolley and a raised upperportion, to the upper edge of which a conductor is secured, and aninsulated support secured within an opening formed between said straightlower faces, the latter-support being located and supportingaoonductorabove the plane of said straight lower faces, substantially asset forth. r

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribin g witnesses.

HENRY ASEYMOUR.

Witnesses: I

R. S. FERGUSON, S. G. NOTTINGHAM.

